Spring attachment means



Jan. 8, 1952 HAAS 2,581,761

SPRING ATTACHMENT MEANS Filed June 23, 1949 I w I /?NVENTOR.

Jose/W 0. 699148 Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED :S TATES PATENT owl-cs SPRING ATTACHMENT MEANS Joseph D. Haas, Memphis, Tenn, assignor to U. S. Bedding Company, Memphis, Tenn., a '-corporation of Georgia Application June 23, 1949, Serial No. 100,940

4=Glaims. 1

This invention'relates to certain newanduseful improvements in spring and frame assemblies for use in upholstered furniture, vehicles, railroad cars and the like. For these and kindred uses, seat assemblies have heretofore-employed a plurality of sinuous spring elements spanning between opposed frame members in substantially parallel relation and each lying in a curved plane with the ends of the spring elements being attached in various, and heretofore unsatisfactory, manners to the said opposed frame members.

The spring elements are conventionally formed of a plurality of lateral convolutions or loops which lie in a plane curved longitudinally of the elements. It is generally desirable to give'the spring elements aninitial set into a relatively tightly curled arc and to initially tension each of the elements by stretching the curled arcs to a substantially flat, slightly arched condition, in which condition the ends of the spring elements are respectively attached to the opposite frame members.

The principal object of this-invention is to provide a'superior and simplified-means of attaching suchspring elements to the associated frame members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means ofiattachment of such springelements which will be simple in manufacture and will readily lend itself-to speed of assembly.

A further objectof the invention is toprovide attachment meansfor-suchspring elements which maybe readily disengaged when the removal of the spring elements'is desired.

And a further objectof the invention is generally to provide such spring elements with attachment means of increased efiiciency and iniproved design, and to otherwise simplify and improve the manufacture-of springassemblies- The means by which the foregoing andother objects of this invention are accomplished and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view'taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, there is shown a spring assembly, such as may be used in conjunction with a seat cushion, which-includes a pair of parallel longitudinal frame memc I 2 bars II, a pair of transverse frame-members i=2 (of which but one is shown), and 'aJpIuIaIity: of sinuous spring elements I3which 'spanfrom' side to-side of the assembly and are attachedzinaccordance with thepresent invention to the opposite frame members I I.

The spring elements 13 consist of intermediate alternate left and right hand'convolutions 'or loops I4, I5 and end' loops l1, It. The respective loops I4 extend in one direction substantially equally laterally beyond the longitudinalmid'line of the spring elements [3 and the; respective loops I5 similarly extend in'the opposite'clirecticn beyond the mid line of the elements t3. End loops I'I similarly extend laterally apsubstantially equal distance as in the direction of loops I5 beyond the said mid line, with the end loops I3 similarly extended in the opposite direction. All of the loops I l, [5,11 t8'lie substantially parallel in a curved plane. At their'terminal ends the end loops II, I8 each include an integral curved portion I9. Depending from the curved portions (9 are. substantially semi-circular'hook portions 2| which are positioned in asubstantiall'y vertical plane, which plane includes the longitudinal mid line of therespective spring, elements with which the opposite hook portions are associated. The hook portions 2| are openand .respectively face inwardly, terminating in a free substantially straight end 23 which is directed toward the interior, of the assembly, the end portions. 23 lying in the plane ofan'd substantially parallel with the longitudinalmid line of the respective spring elements with which the portions are associated.

The frame members I I are eachprovidedwith a. plurality of equally spaced, vertically disposed pockets 25 which, as illustrated in Fig. 1, maybe of circular cross section, or, as illustratedinFig. 3, may be of eliptical or .oval crosssection. The frame members are each;provided with a number of pockets. 25-equal to the number of'spring elements to be included in the-assembly. Each of the pockets-is open topped and extends vertically downward into the frame members I I, preferably being provided with a closed bottom 21. The axis of each of 'the'pockets 25 which lies transverse the frame members is of a length to receive and closely fit thev hookportions' 2 I' of the spring elements I3, each of the. pockets being preferably abutted'by an end portion 23 on one side and on the opposite side by the curve of-the hook 2 I Inthe manufacture of the assembly thecurled spring elements I3 are stretched to the slightly arched position illustrated in Figs. -2 and 4 and the vertically disposed hook portions 2| are inserted in the respective pockets 25 with the end portions 23 bearingagainstthe inner side of the pockets 25. The initial tension :of each of-the spring elements is such as to. constantly urge,

3 the end portions into this engagement, and under use conditions iti's found that when the elements l3 are supporting the weight of a user, the tension on the opposite ends is increased, maintaining the hook engagement. With the respective spring elements thus positioned with relation to the frame members II, it will be seen that the end loops ll, l8, overlie the upper faces of the frame members H and bear against these upper faces away from the respective pockets 25. The engagement of the free ends 23 of the hooks 2| against the inward walls of the respective pockets 25 retains the spring elements l3 against vertical displacement and retains these spring elements in desired positionin the assembly. The

engagement of the end loops 11, I8 with the upper faces of theframe members ll resists any undesired rotation. of the spring elements about their attachmentsto the frame members; it being noted that the end loop I! at one end of each spring element is a right hand loop and the other end loop I8 at the opposite end of the spring element is a left hand loop, the end loop engagements thus cooperating to resist opposite rotational movement.

It will be observed that the walls of the pockets 25 are positioned closely adjacent the sides of the hook elements 2| so as to limit any lateral movement of the hook elements within the pockets 25 and consequently to further limit any end movement of the spring elements 13 relative to the frame members H. It is preferred that the adjacent spring elements l3 be interconnected intermediate their lengths, and for this purpose suitable means, such as tie clips 29, are provided.

It will be seen that in the event it becomes desirable to disengage a spring element l3 from frame members II that this disengagement may be readily accomplished by a simple removal of the hooks 2| from the pockets 25,

It will also be seen that the present arrangement provides an efficient though simple means by which sinuous spring elements or the like may be attached to frame members against undesired removal, and which provide means satisfactorily limiting undesired rotational movement of individual spring elements.

. I claim:

1. In a spring assembly, a frame having a pair of spaced parallel rails, each said rail having a fiat horizontal upper face provided with spaced walls'forming a plurality of vertical open topped pockets, said pockets being equally spaced apart along said rails, and a plurality of sinuous spring elements spanning the distance between said rails and being attached thereto, each said spring element consisting of a plurality of intermediate loops alternately projecting oppositely from the longitudinal mid line of the element, and end loops at its opposite ends respectively projecting oppositely from said mid line, said loops being joined to form said element as a continuous member, said member being upwardly bowed, each said end loop terminating in a depending inwardly facing substantially semicircular hook portion positioned in the vertical plane which includes the longitudinal mid line of the spring element with which said hook portions are associated, said hook portions each including a straight end portion lying in said vertical plane substantially parallel to said mid line, each said springelement having its associated hook portions inserted in said pockets with said end portions abutting the inner walls of said 'pockets and the curves of said hooks abutting the outer wall of said pockets,

and said end loops seating on said upper rail faces'away from said pockets, the space'between the inner and outer walls of each said pocket transverse said rail being of a length substantially equal to the outside radius of the said hook portion.

2. In a spring assembly which includes a frame having a pair of parallel horizontal rails and a plurality ofnormally curled pretensioned spring elements ofa length to span the distance between said rails when extended from normally curled position to slightly bowed condition, means for attaching said spring elements to said rails, which include the wallszof a plurality of vertical open topped pockets formed, in said rails and uniformly spaced therealong, and an arcuate hook portion depending from the opposite ends of each ofsaid spring elements housed in each of said pockets, said hock portions terminating in inwardly projecting end portions respectively engaging the inner vertical walls of said Dockets, the tension in said spring elements urging said end portions into said engagement, the curves of said hook portions respectively engaging the outer vertical walls of said pockets.

3. A spring assembly, which includes a frame having a pair of-parallel horizontal rails, each said rail having a plurality of vertical open topped pockets, including inner and outer walls, equally spaced apart along said rails, and a plurality of spring elements spanning the distance between said rails, each said spring element terminating at its opposite ends in depending inwardly facing hook portions positioned in the vertical plane which includes the longitudinal mid line of the spring element, said hook portions each including an end portion lying insaid vertical plane, each said spring element hook portion being inserted in a said pocket With its said end portion abutting the inner wall of said pocket, and it curve abutting the Outer wall of said pocket, said spring elements being thereby attached to said rails.

4. In a spring assembly, a pair of spaced par.- allel rails, a plurality of spring elements spanning the distance between said rails, each said element including at its opposite ends opposed curved hook portions, each terminating in a free tip, a like plurality of pockets having opposite sides formed in each said rail, each said pocket housing a said hook portion with the free tip of said housed hook abutting one side of the interior of the pocket and the curve of said hook abutting the opposite side of the interior of said pocket, said spring elements being thereby attached to said rails.

JOSEPH D. HAAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 69,193 Dreusike Sept, 24, 1867 1,433,201 Grant Oct. 24, 1922 2,044,336 Schwartzman June 16, 1936 2,293,566 Shanahan' Aug. 18, 1942 2,294,534 Berger Sept. 1, 1942 2,440,001 Blumenstaadt Apr. 20, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 343,628 Great Britain Feb. 26, 1931 

